Cleaning my ducts and getting my ducks in a row…

Two weeks ago I finally got my ducts cleaned in my house. I say finally because I’ve been thinking about this ever since I moved to my townhouse. Actually I’ve been thinking about it ever since I peered down a vent and saw dog fur. Note: I don’t have a dog. I researched it and found that those $69 deals you find in advertisements are probably a scam. I also knew I needed to have my dryer vent cleaned…again, because I haven’t since I lived here.

Ducts are a new thing for me. I had radiators in my bungalow. No central air. No duct work. But getting my ducts cleaned was part of getting my ducks in a row. The to-do list hasn’t gotten much smaller since I moved but then…you know…the last two years happened.

Mark (the duct cleaner) arrived and saw that my dryer vent went up through my roof with no access point in my attic. Swell. He got set up and said my elderly cat and I would be happier not in the house when the big, honking, suction machine started doing its thing. Okay…we went out to the car and sat with it running, air conditioning blasting for the next hour. Ugh.

He allowed us back in and showed me before and after pictures of my duct work and the accumulation of grossness he had sucked out. Beyond dog fur, there was lots of dust and construction debris. Note: I haven’t done construction here.

He then proceeded to climb a ladder, jump up on my garage roof to the higher house roof and snake down to clear my dryer vent.

If anyone wonders if I needed it cleaned…I’ve cut down my clothes drying time significantly.

As for getting my ducks in a row… this summer I finally emptied out the storage unit I’ve had since I moved. (With thanks to my niece Christine, who helped me be ruthless going through what remained and consolidate it into many fewer bins.) I ordered new blinds for the downstairs and today those got installed. I found a new doctor, found out my health insurance is going belly up and am busy finding new health insurance. I got a number of health tests that needed to be done, before I got the news. So, good for me. Tomorrow I am having someone come to give me a quote on getting glass fireplace doors for my fireplace so I’ll be ready when the winter winds come. (And come they will) I made an appointment to have a handyman come and install pull out shelves in my panty which will finally make them useable.

Along with that, I made five trips to my employers lake house. I also made a trip to Michigan to see family. AND, I drove to Lancaster Pennsylvania for a family vacation. (That vacation deserves a stand alone post.) I am now done, done, done. My suitcase has been unpacked and put away. I have a couple more bags to unpack but the laundry is done.

The cat is relieved to see the suitcase be put away. I have spent lots of time the last couple days being his captive audience. Which means, I sit and down and he jumps up and sleeps in my lap like a baby. I owe him. Besides there are olympics to watch while he snoozes.

So while I haven’t exhausted my to-do list, and who ever does, but, in the words of my niece Linnea, “progress is being made.” For now that is enough.